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The Miami Dolphins defense fared no better than the last game allowing a receiver (Julian Edelman) to have over 150 yards again. The soft (white) underbelly is a fake name the rock band Blue Öyster Cult uses to play clubs it also describes the linebacking play.
It is hard to play much man coverage when all the injuries are stacking up. But this zone defense sure gets picked apart at times. It was too bad Byron Maxwell was not healthy enough to try to amend for the last time these two teams played and he resembled Martellus Bennett’s hurdle.
There was a fair amount of penalties this game but they did not happen at inopportune times for the most part aside from a 3rd & 3 play were Bobby McCain defended a pass to Chris Hogan. He defended it well but because he had a hand/arm around Hogan and the way Hogan turned it looked like McCain turned him to the Refs.
On the first drive the Pats marched right down the field and scored. Julian Edelman made a nice catch to keep the drive alive on 3rd down bringing in a pass that was well overhead even bobbling it as there were no defenders around in the weak spot of the zone coverage.
There was an interesting scheme used for the first drive on one play both Ndamukong Suh and Cameron Wake were sent in tandem along the left side to pass rush, it failed to produce any positive results.
The second drive started after a 3 and out effort by the offense. it was bad enough the first Pats drive lasted for 7:32 now they have to go right back after just a 1:45 breather. Couple that with the offense losing 3 yards on the drive and a bad punt of 33 yards and a Neville Hewitt penalty the Pats started on the Dolphins 45 yard line.
There is little room for error when playing the Patriots and there was plenty to go around early in the game when the Pats went on a scoring spree.
This time marching is fitting as the Pats ran three times with LeGarrette Blount picking up ample yardage, a pass sailed high to Edelman again but the pass to Michael Floyd was on the mark and he took about five Dolphins defenders with him as he fought for the yardage to get into the end zone.
For the second drive the Pats scored in just 1:59. The Dolphins offense gave the ball back running just two plays and an interception taking just 0:50 giving them good starting yardage again this time on the Pats 44. The Pats came away with a FG, followed by a second one on the next drive.
The red zone defense had not been up to par in the first half being down 17-0. But finally held them to a FG with 3:21 to play in 2nd quarter even after an encroachment foul on Ndamukong Suh that reset the downs making it 20-0 after the FG.
Something else that finally happened was the offense scoring as the first half was ending it was the first time they had made it past midfield. The Pats missed a 52 yard FG as the half ended.
The offense scored again to open the second half making it 20-14. The Pats would answer with a TD of their own on the next drive.
The score came on a Julian Edelman 77 yard pass after a balanced drive. This passing play was where Tony Lippett didn’t have his head on a swivel and got hurt from a hard hit Michael Floyd had delivered on him but he did return to play after a stint on the sideline. Bacarri Rambo could have been the one to lay out that little lumberjack saving the hit on Lippett but he slipped on the turf flailing at his ankles. And it was a 3rd & 7 play, a ten yard pass that went for 77.
This was the second scoring drive under two minutes for the Pats (1:58) making the score 27-14. Pats respond in 1:58 after the Dolphins made it one-score game.
After the Dolphins had to punt from their 30 the defense held the Pats back near their own goal line Jordan Phillips stopped a run for a loss on the left then batted a pass to the right in back to back plays. The Pats failed to convert first down having to punt. The two teams traded punts once more before the Dolphins offense got on a good drive. However it ended tragically, on 2nd & goal RB Williams had a pass jarred loose it was returned by the Pats to the Dolphins 18 where they would then score a TD.
So after the defense stopped the Pats twice and the offense was about to make the game just down by one TD the worst that could happen took place. With 08:35 left to play the Pats took three minutes off the clock with five running plays and a short pass while scoring and putting the game out of reach 35-14 with a two point conversion, which would end up being the final score.
Team Stats Pats
First Downs 22
Rush-Yds-TDs 29-120-1
Cmp-Att-Yd-TD-INT 25-34-276-3-0
Sacked-Yards 0-0
Net Pass Yards 276
Total Yards 396
Fumbles-Lost 0-0
Turnovers 0
Penalties-Yards 7-64
Third Down Conv. 7-12
Fourth Down Conv. 0-0
Time of Possession 31:22 to Dolphins 28:38
Marty B!
TB12 ???? @MartysaurusRex ???? @Patriots TD! #Patriots https://t.co/P5ho0PYkOU
— NFL (@NFL) January 1, 2017
Any miss direction usually spells bad news for this defense: TD to TE Bennett.
Send as many defenders as you want…
Michael Floyd WILL find the end zone. ???? #Patriots https://t.co/bcwgyeMbtt
— NFL (@NFL) January 1, 2017
An example of lacking physicality: TD to Floyd
TB12
Julian @Edelman11…It's a SEVENTY-SEVEN yard @Patriots TD! #Patriots https://t.co/ywZf6xkyud
— NFL (@NFL) January 1, 2017
Rambo needed to step up: costed a score and almost a starting player.
Game notes
•Miami Dolphins season: Entered Sunday a minus-55 scoring margin in the first quarter and a plus-53 in the third quarter.
•Miami Dolphins have now allowed more yards than any Dolphins team in the franchise’s 51-year history.
•Although Neville Hewitt started the game he ended up with the same amount of snaps he has had regularly with 21.
Last words
This game had a blow out feel to it early but the defense did hold enough for the offense to claw their way back in and they almost did so for a second time late in the game while driving on the Pats goal line with time left in the fourth quarter to be down by seven with a TD.
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